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Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:31 pm
by konstpan
I’ve been trying for some time now to understand how the early-war (’41–’42) Japanese beach invasions actually unloaded troops from the passenger and cargo ships — represented in-game as xAP/xAK — such as the Yokohama Maru used in the Guam invasion. From the picture I found online, the ship doesn’t seem to have a ramp or any obvious means for troops to disembark directly onto a beach.
- Yokohama Maru.png (205.42 KiB) Viewed 570 times
Were barges included in the invasion fleets, with troops climbing down rope nets into them and then being ferried to the beach? I searched online but haven’t found a satisfactory answer.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:40 pm
by btd64
konstpan wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:31 pm
I’ve been trying for some time now to understand how the early-war (’41–’42) Japanese beach invasions actually unloaded troops from the passenger and cargo ships — represented in-game as xAP/xAK — such as the Yokohama Maru used in the Guam invasion. From the picture I found online, the ship doesn’t seem to have a ramp or any obvious means for troops to disembark directly onto a beach.
Yokohama Maru.png
Were barges included in the invasion fleets, with troops climbing down rope nets into them and then being ferried to the beach? I searched online but haven’t found a satisfactory answer.
Yes, barges were brought with the ships. Someone will come by with more details....GP
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 8:08 pm
by RangerJoe
btd64 wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:40 pm
konstpan wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:31 pm
I’ve been trying for some time now to understand how the early-war (’41–’42) Japanese beach invasions actually unloaded troops from the passenger and cargo ships — represented in-game as xAP/xAK — such as the Yokohama Maru used in the Guam invasion. From the picture I found online, the ship doesn’t seem to have a ramp or any obvious means for troops to disembark directly onto a beach.
Yokohama Maru.png
Were barges included in the invasion fleets, with troops climbing down rope nets into them and then being ferried to the beach? I searched online but haven’t found a satisfactory answer.
Yes, barges were brought with the ships. Someone will come by with more details....GP
The Japanese steel landing barges were made in the 1930s if not sooner. I don't know if that type of ship would have carried any on the deck to be unloaded by the cargo cranes/booms that are shown. The LSDs that were made before the USA had any would carry the landing barges. Troops would climb down cargo nets that were thrown over the sides. Sometimes the regular ships boats would also be used. There are 4 of those seen in that picture, the other side I would presume would have the same number so that would be 8 boats to be used. Then the cargo shipboard cranes could unload heavier cargo down to the boats.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:05 pm
by konstpan
Much appreciated! Your explanation cleared things up for me.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2025 5:26 pm
by BBfanboy
konstpan wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:05 pm
Much appreciated! Your explanation cleared things up for me.
A further point you might not be aware of: the size of a port determines how many "lighters" are available to offload ships that are not docked. The bigger the port, the more lighters available and the more cargo that can be offloaded from undocked TFs. Lighters can be flat rafts towed by a tug or barge-like vessels. These are shallow draft vessels so they can get closer to shore than ships and use the part of the dock too shallow for ships.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2025 8:37 pm
by Bo Rearguard
The Daihatsu and Shohatsu barges were your jacks-of-all-trades for Japanese landing operations.
- Daihatsu.jpg (61.21 KiB) Viewed 464 times
It also helped that most Japanese tank models were light enough to be lowered into a barge with cranes, booms and winches.
- Tank-cargo.jpg (52.06 KiB) Viewed 464 times
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2025 5:34 pm
by bradfordkay
BBfanboy wrote: Sat Sep 06, 2025 5:26 pm
konstpan wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:05 pm
Much appreciated! Your explanation cleared things up for me.
A further point you might not be aware of: the size of a port determines how many "lighters" are available to offload ships that are not docked. The bigger the port, the more lighters available and the more cargo that can be offloaded from undocked TFs. Lighters can be flat rafts towed by a tug or barge-like vessels. These are shallow draft vessels so they can get closer to shore than ships and use the part of the dock too shallow for ships.
Doesn't that apply only to ships of nations allied to the port's owners?
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 5:03 am
by BBfanboy
I've never heard of that or tested it. I haven't noticed a difference in unload rates when a port is captured so I think the lighters and port stevedores are still available.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 12:38 pm
by RangerJoe
Remember that there is a difference in invasions where ships are unloading at a beach compared to unloading at a port, whether or not the ships are docked at a pier. It is highly unusual that ships would invade at the actual port itself although it had been done.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 6:27 am
by Chris21wen
BBfanboy wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 5:03 am
I've never heard of that or tested it. I haven't noticed a difference in unload rates when a port is captured so I think the lighters and port stevedores are still available.
If they do, it's wrong, but as I've never seen such a thing it is irrelvant. You cannot dock in an enemy port and it is quite clear in the rules that there's no port derived handling limits for amphibious ops. Any enemy held location is considered a beach for invasion purposes.
6.3.3.3.2 Amphibious Unloading
The Amphibious Unload Rate bonus applies only to ships in an Amphibious TF. Amphibious Unload rates are determined
by ship type (i.e., beaching craft, amphibious ship types, or ordinary transport/cargo ship types). There are no Portderived
cargo handling limits. Amphibious Unload only applies to Troops and Cargo (equipment and supply). Amphibious
Unload does not apply to Fuel, Oil or Resources. Note that there is also an “initial operations” bonus for the Japanese
during the first 4 months of the war.
Amphibious Unload may be used in two situations: an assault unloads over the beach, and amphibious unload in a small
friendly port. Amphibious Unload Rate bonuses differ for the two situations.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 5:52 pm
by BBfanboy
Chris21wen wrote: Tue Sep 09, 2025 6:27 am
BBfanboy wrote: Mon Sep 08, 2025 5:03 am
I've never heard of that or tested it. I haven't noticed a difference in unload rates when a port is captured so I think the lighters and port stevedores are still available.
If they do, it's wrong, but as I've never seen such a thing it is irrelvant. You cannot dock in an enemy port and it is quite clear in the rules that there's no port derived handling limits for amphibious ops. Any enemy held location is considered a beach for invasion purposes.
6.3.3.3.2 Amphibious Unloading
The Amphibious Unload Rate bonus applies only to ships in an Amphibious TF. Amphibious Unload rates are determined
by ship type (i.e., beaching craft, amphibious ship types, or ordinary transport/cargo ship types). There are no Portderived
cargo handling limits. Amphibious Unload only applies to Troops and Cargo (equipment and supply). Amphibious
Unload does not apply to Fuel, Oil or Resources. Note that there is also an “initial operations” bonus for the Japanese
during the first 4 months of the war.
Amphibious Unload may be used in two situations: an assault unloads over the beach, and amphibious unload in a small
friendly port. Amphibious Unload Rate bonuses differ for the two situations.
I assumed the situation was one in which the enemy captured a base that was not in a country friendly to it - e.g. Singapore. In those circumstances Japan would take over the lighters and force the stevedores to work as they did with the British. Any destroyed lighters would be replaced as the port was repaired. I was in no way referring to unloading at a port that was not yet captured.
Re: Japanese beach invasions in real world
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2025 6:06 am
by Chris21wen
Yes totally agree.